The annual vacation is a hugely important topic of discussion in many households, with children and parents both keen to have their say as to where the family will go on their next summer family holiday. If you are having trouble coming up with ideas for this year’s break, a trip on a luxury liner, stopping off at several exciting destinations along the way, could be just the ticket. If you think that you and your family might enjoy a cruise, Australia is a great place from which to start such a journey. There are boats departing for all corners of the earth from here, offering holidaymakers a wide range of itineraries from which to choose. Below are details of some of the places that you might like to visit.

Singapore

If you have three weeks to spare and live close to Sydney or can fly there quite easily, ships that are following a round-the-world itinerary and call into the NSW capital often have Singapore as their first stop after leaving Australia. There is an MRT station (underground train) at the harbour where your ship will dock and from here you can reach destinations all over the city state. Many people like to go shopping in Singapore and if you like the idea of haggling over prices for exotic fabrics and souvenirs then you should catch a train to Arab Street once you have completed immigration formalities.

Singapore

Vanuatu

If you fancy a shorter holiday, there are ten day South Pacific cruises that leave Sydney and include Port Vila, Vanuatu in their schedule of stops. Although this island nation is typical of the area, inasmuch as you can usually expect a laid back attitude wherever you go, Port Vila is something of an exception. It is a busy town with many restaurants and cafés where you can grab a bite to eat during your time ashore as well as numerous markets and shops that are full of local handicrafts and other interesting products. A ten to fifteen minute cab ride from the centre of town is Mele Cascades, a 150 ft beautiful waterfall under which you can sit and cool off after a walk around the area.

Vanuatu

Moreton Island

You might think that four nights is not enough time to visit anywhere on a cruise from Sydney but it is long enough to take a trip to this island, almost all of which is part of a national park. While you are there you can get close to nature with activities such as bird watching, feeding dolphins and whale spotting. If you fancy doing something a little more exciting before heading back home, sand tobogganing is a popular pastime on the island and is sure to go down well with the kids.

Moreton Island

The only real limit to the possibilities is the amount of time you have at your disposal. If you are going to sail to Singapore or one of the islands in the South Pacific, you will need to book a flight home if you want to make it back within two or three weeks.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://smartcheaptravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/female-1.png[/author_image] [author_info]Cruise Australia is a reputable provider of a full range of cruise holidays at reasonable prices. The Caribbean, New Zealand, Mediterranean, Alaska, South America, and South East Asia are just some of the destinations this company takes you for a cruise.[/author_info] [/author]